PakMediNet Discussion Forum : Public Health : Wake up Doctors!
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Wake up Doctors!
In face of increasing violence and hostilities against doctors by society in general and recently by journalists using camera as weapon, invading individual and institutional privacy at will in name of right to information, this has become immensely important for us to define and then assert our rights as community. We need to be given and ensured a right to practice peacefully without fear of being blackmailed of or harassed about getting aired on any body's even hunch or gut feeling about something definitely wrong done by doctors to his dear one. This is ironical that society now have started coming to doctors with pre-built assumption that if doctors couldn't save their relative life ,they must literally be hanged for not playing God. I don't rule out the possibility of any negligence on part of any component of health care system including of course doctors but then there must be a settled procedure or Sop to probe into the matter with out allowing anybody or every body to just dash in and strangle anybody he can lay his hands on.....This is also now need of time to know and publicize widely what happens in civilized world and how does their media react to alleged cases of negligence by doctors and how far can and do latter permit to be hampered in effective discharge of their duties. Every doctor is culprit until proved otherwise is extremely offensive way of approaching the most refined segment of society and most delicate and crucial of the issues dealing directly with the human lives especially in context that doctors are and can be the only court of appeal for anyone who wishes to claim his right to live on. This mindset can bear fatal consequences for public at large.
This is also amazing that doctors are considered and expected to be messiah for humanity, elevated and then stranded at self crafted spiritual status, disregarding their basic needs and desires to exist as just humans or at least as much humanly as any body else is entitled to but then he is left at mercy of sheer market factors to determine his material fate and right to progress.......Meeting sublimity with such base behaviour is itself contemptible. Perhaps this can only be us who need to take up the baton and set about changing the way people should look at us....And rest assured this is high time to do it......
[Edited by drfarhan on 01-04-2010 at 08:32 PM GMT]
[Edited by drfarhan on 01-04-2010 at 08:35 PM GMT]
Posted by: drfarhan Posts: 93 :: 01-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Wake up Doctors!
Dear Farhan. I agree with you in your call to doctors community to wake up. ,We are not The God,... well said, but but being a part of this community I have to say, and I hope you will second me, that while dealing with the patients,our main focus is on the disease not the diseased ones and their near n dear ones. If start behaving like human beings in addition to being doctors and bring some kind words and sypathetic body language... I m sure all this would stop happening. Most of the patients and their relatives know that their pt is not going to survive, while loosing their loved ones if they dont hear a kind word but a mechanici,s attitude from us, their frustration touches the heights... and the result is the same which we got.
[Edited by drgill on 02-04-2010 at 02:02 PM GMT]
Posted by: drgill Posts: 25 :: 02-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Wake up Doctors!
Theoretically quite alluring though, this line of argument has always been and principally i don't and can't deny the need of this elemental lesson for being sympathetic towards patients either , It may not be possible for all of us under all circumstances.... Keeping in view the, rampant illiteracy in society. massive work load ,long working hours on and for doctors,Insecurity at work places( Once I my self saw a lady doctor beaten blue and we just could do nothing), squeezed up ,rather non existent facilities , obsolete or extinct infrastructure whatsoever(in other words no where to go except setting up a shop in your street corner and start fleecing public), Ignored status in society to the point of identification crisis, increasing individual financial crunch to the extent of starvation in face of the fact that any kind of malpractice is even greater sin and just unthinkable for doctors,pragmatically it can not be possible to continue to abide by these "golden rules". My stress is and will remain that first recognize the "humanness" of doctors too. They are no different in their physical or mental chemistry from most of other members and especially educated ones, with more or less same goals ,though some of them may be loftier than an ordinary person is bothered about. Hunger, relentless needs and Not just wishes drain out ambitions. Any body who has been through this "mill" knows how his personal dreams and his self image was gradually shattered and then replaced with mediocrity.
This will be rather endless and futile debate that who was the culprit first but generally this is natural to return the favors you get from others....despite resisting the temptation of just reacting for quite long and which most of the doctors must have already been doing....You can't expect any kind of productivity from soil unless you invest on it. What can be expected from that ground ,itself thirsty and which you never toiled on...We are already over stretching ourselves for "peanuts"
But then their is limit to everything and so is in this case which society fails to recognize when it comes to doctors. And seeing your letter ,it seems that even our colleagues,too , sometimes can't gauge the depth of misery a budding doctor does bear under false belief that he is in process of building some kind of "career"....This is all due to not taking patients or their relatives on board is rather oversimplified analysis of the increasingly apathetic and ruthless behavior of public.........I am personally witness to so many incidences where we just could not make them see "reason" with any and every degree of politeness and best of counseling methods ever employed though i persist that it is not always possible and life is never spent by book. Everybody wants to see us "just perfect" with any kind of protest at conscious or even at subconscious level an extremely unusual or unnatural phenomenon and rather a sign of rebellion which should be viewed with contempt and surprise of highest order. It is considered ,appropriate , under most of the circumstances to crush such movement by force if required and such "criminals" at times also become eligible to be tried under PP C 302 even if latter exculpated afterwards due to non availability of sufficient evidence......but by that time ,he/she is done with.
Railway staff or PIA shuts down their all services and paralyzes the whole communication network to bring the system on knees to meet their demands. Govt and society accepts it a normal way of venting out feelings and more often than not ,just in a day or two, yields..All marketeers agree to sell out their stuff at already decided maximum minimum which is most of the times beyond reach of an ordinary citizen but then you see they are helpless ,these are market dynamics which can't be throttled for long otherwise whole system will collapse and so holds their story and whole society and govt remains just innocent by stander. But when it comes to doctors , well they are or should be angels , how can they pose such silly and human demands. How can they defy ethics which is core of their professional spirit? How will they present their case on day of judgment even if spared from all disciplines here. And so on and so forth , the argument goes on.............Well let's see how far and how long will you be able to continue to repress what is and has to be natural and logical.. Brain drain is already under way. Quacks and quackery is on rise everywhere but society hardly seems to take notice of these rather "privileged killers" who sometimes go to the extent of even boasting their skills far superior to those of qualified doctors but such practitioners continue to proliferate at spanking pace. Not only they threat societal health but they also take away the bread and butter of those who struggled very hard for achieving a well deserved stature or at least they thought so at one stage..... All i am stressing is a demand for an equally assertive "code of ethics" for all those who feel and not unjustifiably,that at times it is their right to "interfere". Out of bound areas must be defined and made identifiable by "others" and then their should be "manners" to tread in if ever need arises. There are "ways" to move even in hotels and hospitals are not public in popular sense. They need to be differentiated from bazaars.
I feel rather sorry to give this "call" in first place... How can you wake up those who don't want to make even their presence felt let alone launching any protest for their rights.
Posted by: drfarhan Posts: 93 :: 02-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Re: Wake up Doctors!
Dear Dr Farhan
While i admired your first post , the ending note of your second post
""I feel rather sorry to give this "call" in first place... How can you wake up those who don't want to make even their presence felt let alone launching any protest for their rights.""
Was a sheer disappointment.....
While i am totally against any form of violence and disrespect against doctors and medical health care professionals, i DONOT approve of ""Badmashi" and ""Hooliganism"" as a form of making your presence felt...
And Please do not degrade your self to the level of a PIA or Railway worker...When they go on strikes and shut down their work places , what would be the worst outcome
May be couple of hundred people would be late for work and appointments, but what happens when Doctors leave their work place or come up with an idea of "" Shutting down "" the hospitals.... Patients die and suffer my dear..
I note that you are surgeon yourself and if you and your colleagues decide to ""Protest"" and shut down OT's , the consequences are going to be far more grave than a protest by PIA or Railway employees..
Blaming other's for own misdeeds is a favorite past time of Pakistanis and Pakistani doctors are no exception...
Why to blame other and media monkeys for our wrong doings..We have to consider following facts before jumping on the hate and protest band wagon
1. Being a doctor is a Thankless Job. If somebody has a aim of making money , he should better do MBA or be an SHO of a Thana..If somebody has an aim of becoming famous , he should Join the TV and Film industry as an actor
2. We doctors save lives and this makes us a class apart from all the engineers, politicians, business men, Teachers etc of the world....We shouldn't be comparing ourselves with other professionals.
3. We in general and our senior doctors in particular are to be blamed for the present condition of doctors in Pakistan.....Main aim of 95% doctors is to make money by any means ( malpractice, wrong and unjustified prescriptions, getting free lunches and dinners from Pharmaceutical industry etc)....
Since we as a community have lost the high moral ground so we should do some soul searching before pointing fingers at others
4. Nobody including senior and Junior doctors are concerned on the Mushroom growth of third rate medical colleges in the Country
Ever thought Why
?
This gives the senior lot to make a hell lot of money when they retire and get re-employed
and gives the Students ( who cannot score even 60% in Fsc) to become Doctors
Result: Third rate doctors ( with only degrees and no concern for the patient and their profession)
Ultimate Result: No respect and tolerance to listen to a different point of view and fights , skirmishes and problems at work places
5. Why are the doctors who are also politicians, CPSP, PMDC, PMA and PIMA are unable to streamline the practice of medicine after 60 years....Why to blame media when most of the doctors lot would also love to be highlighted in media in one form or other ( I know at-least four doctors who left this profession to become Bhands in the media)
Having said that, I also think that most of the media persons in Pakistan are ""Monkeys with mics & Cameras and with a sub-normal IQ"" who do not have any professional ethics and respect for others...
So my dear, think of better way to register protest than acting like college kids and increasing misery of our patients
Regards
A Fellow doctor
Posted by: drrathore Posts: 428 :: 03-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Re: Re: Wake up Doctors!
Dear rathore, this is nice to see you jumping into discussion. I didn,t write any of my notes for somebody,s personal pleasures or disappointments. I just try to narrate facts and my point of view. Of course in process of doing that, i also undergo lots of soul searching and at times i may be wrong too. I tried my best not to indulge myself into any textbook kind of discussion which it seems,nilly willy i am being dragged into.
Despite being member of a distinctive class, i compared humans with humans. Is it unusual? I didn't talk of burning candles rather possibility of meeting our basic needs. Does it sound odd. Behind the basic aim of becoming doctors were motives other than just unraveling the mysteries of nature. These were to achieve social status with academic caliber and be acknowledged by the society in this very sense i just pointed out. In this age it can not just be sheer missionary zeal which can keep you and ur family alive. Even from religious or ethical standard, i see nothing wrong with these ambitions. To fulfill them, one does not have to employ unfair means but than whether your system or society appreciates fairness is questionable.
Doc sb unfortunately you are part of a larger but an ugly picture. This is overall decaying system ,you have been forced to become part of and rather by virtue of the very nature of their profession, doctors as community can be the only silver lining though it may not involve individual resolves, is another naked truth. You are talking of 95% of those who are rich amongst us. How many of us, are actually basking in the glow of this never ending fortune. I saw most of them either in dismal situation even after specializations or putting up together all their courage and resources to sneak away from this place for good in search of some better future which they once dreamt of, not to become millionaires,just a future (what do u think, should be the ingredients of a better future). Does dreaming for better future fit in the plan of joining your league of extra ordinary gentlemen? Those swarms who aspire to be doctors and leave no stone unturned to this end of course wanted to be part of a distinguished class but also always nurtured the desire to enjoy better social stature but as u say and i agree it seems possible only by joining film, TV or doing MBA,s. I did not see most of the doctors as hooligans and this is yet to be proved even in the current incidence. Most of them however continue with their angelic jobs even now despite being starved for both their very basic rights and recognition , They are not sons and daughters of some tycoons who managed to slip in some private medical college rather these are those poor dedicated students who made their way to best of colleges after fierce competition and depleting their lifelong savings. Most of them, are from quite remote and backward places. They must have thought that one day they would be able to change the sorry plight of their families who in turn might have starved many days and nights in hope to put their children in better positions and to accomplish something which they themselves could never do. This is not just my speculation,scan them and you would know what ambitions are/were lurking underneath. But as you say and i agree , these ends can,t be met through" nobler " of jobs.
Unfortunately according to revised social standards, one has to bracket status and respect with some amount of money but when one talks of money as a corollary, both he and his goals start smacking of meanness.And doctor can't be mean! so they just don't deserve to earn and can't describe their aims in terms of money!
I was alluding to mindset of the society and their pattern of response when i talked of PIA or railway workers. To get few ppl late on their jobs are of course their petty achievements in the end , agreed, but even these childish tricks seem to work and possibility of all the OTs shut, does not produce even a stir. Either it doesn't happen despite all odds or it doesn't matter materially for the society. Which side now will u swing to.
Ok fine due to their highly trained and vigilant conscience, and a unique class which
they belong to, they will not budge and stand their grounds to avoid your criticism. But then slowly and gradually they will start looking for back doors. Here we are with thousand of applications vying to be taken to environment as unfriendly as saudia even if in containers, so to speak, or if they can,t flee then little choice but malpractice. Does not go down ur idealistic throat well? Such sublimity to begin with and such degradation to opt for and end in. Still not logical? No one will admit but it is happening. Isn't it? And this is all about the young doctors or those who are about to bid good bye to their youth and bloom. Agreed most of them should not have joined medicine in first place. But then who would? Humans will remain same regardless of how many times you replace them with a new set of apparently same breed. They need "incentives". Again degraded!!!
Yes i am a surgeon and my job is extremely public. I am not just hidden behind desks. I face situations head on and i know exactly sufferings of my colleagues and my youngsters. I believe that just by creating "utopias" i can,t allay their anxieties. I can,t befool myself and them by being poetic and not practical. Still and all, i called them for a unanimous voice and community based efforts, for asserting their right for self protection and for demanding a code of ethics for others who just don't know what is involved in matters of life and death. How did u assume that i asked for complete shut down of the system or incited them for a total boycott. That said, please do shed some light on those other ways or "forms" of protest to enlighten these dark and unpredictable paths of struggle or to get ourselves "registered". Where did i advocate hooliganism and will u call self defense "badmashi" especially while provoked to this extent.
I stressed the need for a mechanism to bring all those who are culprits to book and for people to follow a procedure to have their grieves addressed, which quite often are based on lay man assumptions. Where did i exculpate "negligence" even in our ranks but no doubt i would not be shy of saying that identify our human limitations. Order amputating our hands only if you have fulfilled your responsibilities as society or their representative towards us.This is ridiculous to get bogged down head over heels in efforts to find your own or your senior's faults and ignore all "others" who might have been committing blunders and threatening even our physical existence which they deem not unjustified either!!. Otherwise there will be just reactions and even for the great reformers , it will be difficult to contain them.
Sir , i know there are grievances on both sides but at this critical hour, i thought it my duty to present point of view of my community to bail them out of blind and blinded wrath of public. I also wanted to share my experiences which stretch over last 15 years. I never meant to instigate a debate or hurt any ideologue. I called for struggle but left form of struggle as an open ended question for us to settle, for those who agree and share. Who don,t, I neither intended ,nor am interested to convince them but couldn't help my frustration when found many still living in fools paradise of their own. Don't you think it rather a child,s play. .That might have been a mistake too. To me this has also been how we harmed ourselves for last 60 years. But again i never meant to offend your or any body,s wisdom. Most of us who are into "business" or politics are just following in footsteps of public at large. They just couldn't resist temptation. If not through proper channel then let it whatever it takes. But still its condemnable though quite often not misplaced.
Politics if means representation, I'll advocate it and if it meant bundle of lies ,taken in popular sense need to be discouraged but then we need representation and whosoever "body" will ever do it , will be painted as politicized.Then of course there are black sheep in every department who try to fish in troubled waters and doctors, too, are no exception. As i said earlier, they are as much humans provided society is willing to give them this status. These "villains" need to be dealt with like in any other department as they are defaming a whole tribe.
However Every act of majority doctors is not or can not be dismissed just as vandalism or kiddish. You may not hide these scars for long.
I hope not to stretch any further on this issue. I have said what I wanted to convey and i strongly believe, it will be taken in well and swiftly by those who are in know of ground realities. Nothing else interests me more. Any thing else on this will just serve to appease your or my ego and result in skewed opinions colored by our own biases. I think it will be disturbing for the rest and fruitless in the end.
With profound regards.
[Edited by drfarhan on 09-04-2010 at 03:31 PM GMT]
Posted by: drfarhan Posts: 93 :: 04-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Wake up Doctors!
aoa. Dear Farhan I did not disagree to your call for wake up,being myself an ex student of my dear AIMC, I had actively participated all wakeup struggels i,e for Dr Amir Aziz, against Mr Nizami, student fee rise, exam postponement wt so ever those were during our time. I just brought fwd one thing to inculcate in our body language while dealing with the patients, which they are always been looking for,but unfortunately with your poetic verses you pickled up all of the sufferings and miseries of fellow doctors you witnessed in your 15 yrs experience wit this incidence.Come on dear we like to be called as "Masiha" yet not willing to be crucified.
[Edited by drgill on 06-04-2010 at 11:32 PM GMT]
Posted by: drgill Posts: 25 :: 06-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Re: Wake up Doctors!
Dear Sir Farhan,
It has always been with pleasure interacting with learned colleagues, on this forum. I greatly appreciate your efforts in putting up an excellent point of view of the doctor’s community during these difficult times. I agree with most of the points you have raised.
My apologies if my earlier post offended you or any colleague from the medical community from Pakistan. I will say it again loud and clear that “”I do not approve of any hostility or media-Gardi against doctors and other health care professionals””. I also condemn the incident at Jinnah Hospital in strongest possible ward. Having said that I would still like to submit the following.
1. Incident at Jinnah hospital should be taken in the perspective of the bigger picture and problem in Pakistan at present. Masses are frustrated and clueless because of the increasing menace of terrorism, break down of law and order, rising inflation, low wages, load shedding and many others problems. Destructive protest in form of breaking public and government property, blocking main roads, mob attacks on police stations and other government places and scuffles have become more frequent and more violent. This is a new form of anger and frustration ventilation which people of Pakistan have learned (and which is going to be very destructive if we do not stop now). The reaction by the patient’s attendants can be taken in that context, which was further aggravated by the untimely intervention of this so called “free media monkeys”.
2. Why do we expect the society and other to be sympathetic towards us (the doctors) when we have been dishonest to ourselves, colleagues and community all these years? Doctors, have always been very close to the people in power who matter in Pakistan (both in civil and military). Why not to take them to task first on keeping mum/silent on the current plight of doctors. There are personal physicians (Govt appointments) to the president, PM, CM & COAS. There are doctors who were /are/ and will be Ministers, Secretaries, Speakers ( e.g Dr Fehmida Mirza), Generals, Brigadiers in seats of power. Why do we ask the society to respect us when, our own people are unable to support us.
3. I would still like to maintain my status as a doctor and will not compare myself or use tactics of a PIA staff, railway worker or traders for that matter.
4. How much young doctors are interested in really highlighting their demands can be gauged from the fact, that hundreds of them visit this website daily , but so far only three ( you , me and Dr Gill) has participated in this discussion. But if you call them to a strike, leaving the OPDs and chanting useless slogans: they will happily oblige
5. I would recommend that you should combine all three posts , rearrange them a bit and send them to the discussion section of JPMA or even better The news or Dawn. The point of view of medical community needs to be highlighted in a way that is acceptable and your posts make an excellent impact.
6. We should start focusing on solutions and practical steps to improve the image of our community , asserting ourselves and gaining our lost respect. Other wise this would be a intellectual fruitless discussion and nothing more
Regards
PS: Can you or somebody else brief me on the origins and aims of this YDA ( Young doctors association)..Are there any credible and good doctors in their ranks? The few members of YDA I know are not somebody I would like to consult for an ailment.
Posted by: drrathore Posts: 428 :: 07-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Re: Wake up Doctors!
And here is some information about YDA...Although it is an old post but this paragraph is an important consideration
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=158479
""It may be mentioned here that the Young Doctors’ Association, which was originally launched by its former President Dr Rana Sohail, General Secretary Dr Salman Kazmi and other representatives, including Dr Nazam Ali, Dr Lalarukh Barki and Dr Somia Iqtidar most of them from the Mayo Hospital, distanced itself from the strike call in hospitals allegedly given by an opportunists’ group trying to use the association’s platform for their personal interests. It is learnt that only those doctors, who had graduated from foreign institutions of Russia, Kazakhstan, China, etc, after being failed to get admissions on merit in medical institutions of Pakistan, were disturbing healthcare delivery services to the patients in all the teaching hospitals of Lahore""
Regards
Posted by: drrathore Posts: 428 :: 07-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Wake up Doctors!
This well-touted messianic concept is intriguing and perhaps needs little dissection from an unorthodox point of view.
From their cradles, doctors are trained and taught for this godly role without letting their "will" contributing any significantly and consciously in grooming of this very philosophy. Order of the day remains," until the fag end of their careers as on day one, to not just reign in your instincts but rather resign them and to fate in sequence! How far this rather Buddhist and somewhat romantic concept of self elimination can be realized in current scenarios with shifting realities and changing priorities will be arguable in most minds at subconscious level even if not challenged blatantly for once.
Even in the days gone by these " quite often" spiritual spin offs of being a messiah were due to sheer nature of their job than could be attributable to somebody's passion to be adored especially if satisfying personal egos is brushed aside as an objective.
While doctors will continue to be wished to be admired and respected due to variety of "known" reasons and while i don't deny the essentially "holy" nature of their job and the need for their discharging all assigned and most of the expected responsibilities responsibly, Idea of personal deification will have much less to recommend it if even grudgingly this means sacrificing all other tangible rights.
Without disowning the demand for need of evolving an effective internal mechanism to check and improve our own working and to bring our own culprits to book,I'll continue to hammer the role and attitude of society as the other side of equation in dire need of balancing. Meanwhile it is not acceptable to be at the altar of any body's misperception and continue to be threatened,thrashed and terrorized.
My point still stands, that under the current circumstances doctors are equally if not more "deprived" than all other components of society put together in face of magnitude of their investment and scale of their struggle to achieve the Misunderstood Goals both by them and the people. While deprivation is not and can not be an excuse for depravity, reactions in essence are justified in most situations and unfortunately hard to be disciplined.
To compare yourself with other members of the species is just instinctual and reflexive. How far can an extra ordinary doctor otherwise even above average human being estrange himself from the very act will be interesting to note in near future. Reversing the order of these qualities is though highly inspirational but exceptional and should be categorized under the same head.
As to role of YDA and likes, people sway towards sub groups of their own inclinations. Rather such organizations are sub divided on these notes and individual's lust for power and prominence.One takes edge over the other depending on influence it can and does wield in distorting optics and molding opinions. Clearly role of "media" with their own choices and objectives become crucial. Propaganda can win you wars and they are experts.
All these sorrows are deeply ingrained in our past and these sufferings are across the board. These cries don't just belong to those from Russia and Kazakhstan however that said all the movements have the potential of being hijacked and steered away according to personal agendas and ends. One can only be and should be cautious about all such exploiters who are into "making hay" but they are difficult to identify and this is irony that sometimes just "playing a role" vilifies you. Perhaps we should be careful in passing judgments.
I hope that other senior and serene representative bodies joining in voicing "our concerns" will behave more sensibly and must be knowing exactly what they are up to.
Thank you all for your valuable input. This discussion must have been very enlightening from many angles even for those who were not "visibly" participating in the discussion.
[Edited by drfarhan on 07-04-2010 at 07:59 PM GMT]
Posted by: drfarhan Posts: 93 :: 07-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Wake up Doctors!
very interesting discussion.... I agree with Dr. Rathore, I am surprised by the lack of interest (or comments) from other younger doctors.
When I was working in Mayo Hospital, I used to think that I deal with patients and their relatives in the best possible way, there can't be a better way. I felt that I was completely sympathetic to the patients and did my best to help them. It was only after I worked in US that I realized I used to treat patients and their relatives 'sub-humanely'. Sometimes ignorance is bliss!!!!!!!
On one of my recent visits to Pakistan, I have been on the receiving end and being on the receiving end was very insulting, very belittling. This was despite that fact that other physicians knew I was a practicing physician in US. In this regard, I again completely agree with Dr. Rathore.
Having said that I don't condone violence against doctors but I do support accountability.
This society, Pakistani society has respected (or may be even worshiped) physicians as 'almost gods' for a very very long time. With our behavior we showed that we didn't deserve it.
May be someone can enlighten me because I don't remember, when did doctors protest to improve the care of their patients? We are happy to protest because some of us were beaten but who will protest for those patients who died because of poorly equipped facilities, malfunctioning machines, careless lab tests, poorly-trained doctors working without supervision etc.
We physicians are supposed to take care of our patients, but we started taking care of ourselves and so patients and their relatives have started thinking that they need to take care of themselves.
What need to be discussed and pondered is how can we get back that 'god-like' status. And the only way we can get that back is by focusing on patients, by being patients' best advocates, by being humble..... not by demanding our 'rights'.
Posted by: rqayyum Posts: 199 :: 08-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Re: Wake up Doctors!
Agreed, doctors should not have right to claim any "rights". We were "gods" born to humans to begin with and after losing this almost divinity largely due to our own mischiefs, should now be looking for reappointment.
[Edited by drfarhan on 08-04-2010 at 08:59 AM GMT]
Posted by: drfarhan Posts: 93 :: 08-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Wake up Doctors!
Dear Sir Rehan
Good to have your input on this important topic .
Okay!! so far we have been discussing, putting up arguments , giving counter- arguments , More arguments and counter arguments and a few hurt egos in between....
But have we archived any thing so far except for debating this topic like an academic Journal club meeting ....What i suggested before and will request again is that why don't we combine all the points raised by different colleagues in these posts, polish them a bit and send them for publication in a major newspaper, forwarding them to colleagues working in health care sector or even posting them on blogs and social networking sites
I have searched a lot about the Jinnah hospital incident and all i could find was emotional ranting, use of foul language, making offensive comments and nonsense jargon at the best....
To the best of my limited knowledge , this is the first attempt by doctors to debate this problem rationally and logically..So why not others know about our point of view...
Details can be sorted out later....
What is the opinion of other members
Regards
[Edited by drrathore on 08-04-2010 at 09:25 AM GMT]
Posted by: drrathore Posts: 428 :: 08-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Wake up Doctors!
I agree with Dr. Rathore and Dr. Rehan about this important issue. We should also realize our mistakes and try to find out the reasons of all this mishappenings. There must be someway of checking doctors because of increase in unethical and non-evidenced based practices in our country.
Before sending the above discussion for publication or somewhere else, I suggest to propose a way to check doctors for their practices and attitudes. I would like to invite the opinions of other members to suggest way to make a practical accountability solution. Everybody would agree with me that most unethical practices are done by top level and lower level doctors (professors, gps etc) in Pakistan.
Due to poor level of health awareness in our community, patients just trust the senior most doctor (with white hair) without investigating or studying the type of treatment they are getting. As a result, when they move to another doctor, they get different treatment and therefore develop trust deficits. This is the main reason of the non-trust of patients / people in doctors.
I personally think currently there is NO way by which we can stop these unethical practices under current circumstances.
Posted by: docosama Posts: 333 :: 08-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Re: Wake up Doctors!
As you can see dr rathore ,debating out an issue is the only unpleasant way of hatching a consensus, if any at all. Where we might be looking like reaching an agreement on trivial points, we seem to be at odds on principles let alone we talk about those different ways we like to express ourselves. Even if you manage to post a unified message out of this "broth" in a news paper, social blog or like forums,it is likely to produce similar results, we are trying to run away from now, that is,another heated debate.
At present it appears,there are two opposing points of view. How will you be able to amalgam them?
Besides its little early to go beyond this and such forums. As you yourself acknowledge that this is first of its kind discussion. Let people from different backgrounds and of different mindsets come forward and unfold. Let us first know how do we view ourselves and our problems-again if there are any at all-before we decide to give people a chance to tell others or each other what they think of us. We shall play a decisive role even in shaping their opinion. So far discussion on this forum seem under represented if not mis represented. If so many of us are willing to accept their own "crimes" and get "hanged" for them then why this mayhem? People here seem to be clustering around one point agenda. Do you think this is the whole story. Is it so simple to ignore the flip side of coin or do you think ,none existed in first place.Is it all what is happening and what we are doing ,just result of sheer coercion by handful of gangsters amongst our own ranks as media loves to point out and paint us, under which we decide or can decide to "quit". Or are we being pushed beyond "limits"? Is it society reacting to our "misdeeds" or we are simply returning the "favour" is chicken first or egg first kind of debate, I always wanted to avoid. But rest assured, it is not yet over by all means.
It is possible for me to take up and tackle all the points raised in the latest posts but I don't want to appear to be flogging a dead horse which actually is not as lifeless but an alive and burning issue. I don't want to sound as the only voice and emerge as the only martyr from the other side of this apparent divide. Views should come, be encouraged and entertained from all and different quarters.
That said, I don't see this Djinn disappearing any soon if we continue to sweep our personal and put together, collective crises under the rug.
Mind you , I am just questioning the timing of acting on your proposal ,not its potential efficacy.
Meanwhile in the course of discussion, we should continue to stay civilized to avoid
bruising other's self respect; to put "egos" in proper perspective!
[Edited by drfarhan on 09-04-2010 at 03:25 PM GMT]
Posted by: drfarhan Posts: 93 :: 08-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Wake up Doctors!I think both proposals are practical. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help either Dr. Rathore or Dr. Osama.
Posted by: rqayyum Posts: 199 :: 09-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Wake up Doctors!
Dear all.When I read my dear colleague Dr Farhan, i fell like listening to Barak Hussain Obama, turning on of his sound box brings a pin drop silence wow "what an orator"? but at the end in an effort to get the msg out of it, we find nothing but a master piece of verbosity , a fine networking and interweaving of English literature
. When we read you we find ourselves going along but what msg you want to come up with, is still unearthed.
I failed to convey you the msg, what "crime" was commited by Masiha? was He really hanged? this was my msg. Now please come up with the +ve suggestions and measures you think we Drs community should adopt, rest assured you will hardly find any Dr lagging behind.
Best Regards
[Edited by drgill on 09-04-2010 at 08:38 AM GMT]
[Edited by drrathore on 10-04-2010 at 01:54 AM GMT]
Posted by: drgill Posts: 25 :: 09-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Re: Wake up Doctors!
It is quite ironic that the profession considered the noblest is made to suffer more than any other profession nearby. And even more ironic is the fact that even the fellow professionals believe that it is the duty of the doctors to endure all sufferings and injustice since they are the “Messiah”.
Is it so, that all our sufferings are due to this metaphor of Messiah? If we were considered less noble, we would’ve been suffering less. How hypocritical it sounds this way. But unfortunately this is what I understand by the suggestions made here that this is a thankless profession and we should’ve joined some other profession if we had any other intention besides serving mankind.
The truth is that service to humanity is just a part of it like it is part of all other professions. Do you think teachers, engineers, or mere cobblers don’t serve humanity? People don’t join the medical profession “ONLY” for serving humanity even if some of them claim so. There are many other valid and acceptable reasons for it. Glamour, Intellectual satisfaction, liking for the subject, money etc. If such “material” approach, as you may call it, is condemnable, then every doctor charging money for his services should be condemned (which I strongly object). Similarly if it is nothing more than a humanitarian profession then why do doctors leave country for better “material” prospects? All people going to UK, US or any other country for the purpose of earning money should be condemned.
So what makes doctors special? This is because they are among the top intellectual and educated lot of the nation. I find it absolutely hypocritical to believe that doctors are unique so they should be indifferent to all injustice broken upon them. Why should the doctors be considered unique when they are at giving end, and why should they be denied of this uniqueness and privilege when they are at the receiving end.
Medical profession should NOT be a thankless profession as you claim it to be. Doctors deserve at least what other intellectuals of the country deserve, no less. If they will suffer at the receiving end, their giving end is bound to suffer. That’s only way it can happen even if they try their best to keep the giving end unaffected. A doctor is not only a doctor. He is also a husband, a father, a son, a human and a Pakistani if we talk about this country. Doctors are already compromising there other positions owing to their position as the “Messiah”, but to neglect other responsibilities and needs completely is neither possible, nor fair. Doctors have increased their threshold of aggression considerably. But again it is not possible to take it to infinite. At some point this threshold is reached and aggression sets in. and believe me there are quite a few reasons and plenty of occasions when this threshold is crossed. Infact it remains crossed continuously at certain points and doctors don’t react most of the times.
The only achievement that this profession was giving us was respect. And when someone would try to snatch this from us we are bound to react. And we should react. We have been reacting through dialogue earlier. But it never worked. So in my opinion at extreme points desperate measures become inevitable, though many of these measures would still not be desirable or attractive.
Moreover, do you think that people don’t suffer when other professions go on strike? If that was so then their strikes would’ve been illogical. People suffer in all strikes. Its only doctors who, despite of the strike, have kept their wards working and emergencies running to keep the suffering of the people to a minimum.
And I read another notion that doctors don’t put any effort into the wellbeing of their patients. And that they are very active in protesting for their own rights, but they don’t protest for the rights of their patients. I find it quite ludicrous. The doctors delivering health care have always raised their voices for the lack of facilities at every level they are concerned with. Even simple ward management tasks here in Pakistan are not done on a simple phone call like they are managed elsewhere. There is a lot of physical and mental effort involved even in the skimpiest of matters. Doctors have been involved in every matter from getting a simple electric switch replaced to getting cardiac monitors and ventilators arranged for the patients and so on. Probably you just look at the one percent or may be less doctors and not the 99 percent of the doctors who are like us.
Secondly, protesting for patients is not our job in true sense of the word. We can just forward our suggestions and demands for better patient care. And that I assure you is being done at every level as I mentioned earlier. Do you think we should close the hospitals and start marching on the roads for this noble purpose? Well that would increase people’s suffering wouldn’t it?
As far as putting this discussion to some bigger forum is concerned, I think it is not practical. We should have a consensus of opinions before proceeding. And that I do not see here.
Regards.
Dr. Muhammad Usman Cheema
Lahore.
Posted by: drmucheema Posts: 3 :: 10-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Re: Wake up Doctors!
Thank you all for your input and comments.
First of all i would like to comment that there is no divide here..Only different ways of seeing and interpreting things and that is absolutely fine, as long as we remain engaged in a healthy discussion in a civilized manner.
I also consider that we doctors are humans too...We have families to feed, emotions, a desire to climb the social ladder, tendency to react when humiliated and feel frustrated when we see our ""No so well educated and sensible"" peers, being paid better than us and commanding more authority and respect in the society..
But all this should not deter us to leave the centuries old traditions of the medical professionals: selflessness, keeping the interest of the patients before our own interest and realizing the fact that our patients ARE our UNIVERSE and PRIORITY..
I agree that more colleagues from different backgrounds, experiences and specialties need to contribute to this important discussion....Therefore i am sending a link to this post to all Pakistani doctors in my mailing list, post it on medical blogs and write individually to the active and vocal members of Pakmedinet..
If there are better ways to invite and persuade doctors to contribute to this thread , then please share with all of us..
once we have input from different colleagues we all can agree to come out with a consensus draft that can be sent to the newspapers, medical blogs or even CPSP, PMA, PIMA etc (after all it was their duty to begin with, to address this important issue :on which they miserably failed)..
I still think that healthy discussions like this do matter, as at present this is one of the civilized manner to resolve our problems...
Regards
Posted by: drrathore Posts: 428 :: 11-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Re: Re: Wake up Doctors!
That is why, i referred to it as "apparent" divide but it does and must exist leastways at conceptual level amongst sensible and sensitive individuals of any community which has some thing to do with intellectual pursuits. Every department and field has a universe to relate to and set of priorities to work with. This is the only way it distinguishes itself from the rest.
It may be pleasing to you that link to this thread has already been floated to various famous blogs from this end as well. The topic ,i hope, is open to discussion now.
[Edited by drfarhan on 12-04-2010 at 07:27 AM GMT]
Posted by: drfarhan Posts: 93 :: 12-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Re: Wake up Doctors!
Thank you Dr Farhan.....
Other members are also requested to contribute but please refrain from making personal comments and respect other's point of view .
Let us agree to disagree in a gentleman's manner
Regards
Posted by: drrathore Posts: 428 :: 12-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Wake up Doctors!
I agree. A " code of conduct" is paramount even in discussions if we want to make such efforts sustainable and conclusive . While there is every chance that this may turn out to be wishful thinking , still we should leave no stone unturned to this end. Your attitude in a discourse betrays your self-discipline and overall mental brought up, to be honest. To restrain yourself even while being provoked is always appreciated as better part of valour. Please be careful and selective in choosing your words especially while addressing your colleagues. Anything benign and casual to you may be offensive for other(s).
Thank you all for putting up with me in course of this rather lengthy and exhaustive discussion.
Posted by: drfarhan Posts: 93 :: 12-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Re: Wake up Doctors!
No further responses so far....Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope for further and better input on this important topic
Regards
Posted by: drrathore Posts: 428 :: 15-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Re: Re: Wake up Doctors!
changes do come to a society but only if the individuals are ready to change themselves. This is the first step towards change,which we get from the history of mankind. how can we expect a +ve wind of change while living in a pharmaceutical age; the clinics we own, the tables we work at, the chairs we sit in, the pens we write with, the pads we are the signatories of, sun shades we use in our vehicles .... the seminars n conferences we participate in, the tickets we fly with.... most of the time all this is pharmaceutically sponsored..... dont take it personally , I am talking abt the people who matter in our field, until unless we start living with our own money lesser or the more what so ever we have.... only then we will be able to stand up so as to be seen, only then we will be able to be vocal enough to be heard. Lets decide today onward and take a +ve step, if we are not ready to bring a +ve change in our 6ft body we own, how can we expect other to be changed.
[Edited by drgill on 17-04-2010 at 01:42 PM GMT]
Posted by: drgill Posts: 25 :: 17-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
: Re: Wake up Doctors!
Well this is turning out to be a disappointment for me...
Warriors of change ( Including the YDA, Punjab) are happy to leave their OPDs for hours, chanting slogans on roads like college students , typing and sending idiotic SMS etc but are not interested in debating out this topic in a decent and intellectual manner....
Still i would like to wait and like my other colleagues from a diverse background and specialties to spare some time and contribute to this thread/post
Regards
Posted by: drrathore Posts: 428 :: 19-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: : Re: Wake up Doctors!
While i too, have this intense desire that people should come forward and contribute, it does not suggest by any means that if they don't,the change they wish for, is unwarranted. Nor their sheer absence can challenge reasonability of methods they employed and deemed fit to cater for their cause especially while their every otherwise decent attempt at projecting their points of view is being strategically thwarted. I don't see any thing bad regarding messages(sms) to put yourself across provided you have a point and this very fact, I know will remain debatable amongst us. To summarize, all these methods no doubt are at the heart of the current discussion and will remain arguable at least on this forum for quite some time in foreseeable future.
Although I am too staunch an advocate of taking part in "healthy" discussions to reach a consensus but then I'll not expect that discussion with me/us on this specific forum or any such forum for that matter is an essential prerequisite or may be the only way for some one to justify his cause or prove his loyalty to the movement in general. This passive mindset should be viewed especially in context that in this country, howsoever rational and assertive you may be , you seldom or never are fortunate enough to find an equally mature and sincere audience both in society and from amongst those who are at helm. This frustrating enough environment around us sometimes is too disturbing to entertain any temptation for a dialogue whatsoever with in or with out our ranks as ultimately and usually such activities result in dead locks ,deader than before. There are plenty of examples in recent and even remote past which promoted distrust regarding intentions of those who could help resolve issues while avoiding brinkmanship.
I'll put it like this, that we could not motivate,convince or attract those "many" out there that discussing or debating a problem can be a way out to a solution and this society can value and honour even if occasionally, the civilized behaviour.This is sad to note that "usefulness" of such long established traditions as discussions and discussion forums even when we were not as much globally connected as we are these days, has been questioned.
The very premise that I can even whisper out my rights as effectively and will not have to shout for it,now lacks credibility. Quite often even I don't find any personal experience to testify or support my own call(s) as evidence...Still I'll back and encourage every such effort which can help us in making and projecting opinions including taking part in discussions on such forums and in fostering activities which can build and enhance 'image' and respectability of these exercises overall.To meet this end some reassurance need to be ensured on part of all stake holders about possibility of coming up with objective and practical remedies to existing problems lest all such shows of these well advised but so called polite interactions should be perceived just as cosmesis at best and shrugged aside as another drama at worst.
This is lamentable but a reality that these days engaging in such or any discourse is considered just an intellectual way to kill time even in minds of most optimistic of us. But "it takes two to tango" and i wish same green on both sides of fence with 'others' showing comparable vigour and readiness to listen and then a commitment to act. Without this healthy contribution from 'society' or its representatives in terms of first identifying the malady and then taking concrete steps to redress the balance, this 'trust' in effectiveness of "dialogue" can not be restored. To re-introduce such culture of mutual understanding and tolerance which in turn is imperative for our mental evolution, of course, some time and perhaps lots of patience is required.
[Edited by drfarhan on 21-04-2010 at 08:05 PM GMT]
Posted by: drfarhan Posts: 93 :: 20-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Wake up Doctors!
I couldn’t help observing that in the process of putting forward their arguments, my worthy colleagues tend to digress from the main course of discussion here. There are two different dimensions of ideas here that are causing turbulence in the comprehension of the main theme and the illusion of the divide to get stronger. The first is the plight of doctors themselves and the second is the moral and ethical downfall of some, if not all, doctors. These two issues, although my worthy colleagues are inclined to portray as strongly connected, are quite segregated. For both of these issues to be resolved efficiently, they need to be taken into account individually. Blaming one of them for the other and vice versa is only going to cause confusion and discussions ending in thin air.
As far as the issue of malpractice and moral demise of doctors is concerned, there are ways to make amends to this. Apart from self accountability there are appropriate ways of prosecution and accountability that although not perfect yet are in accord with the judicial services and policies available to the common Pakistani citizen. Doctors are, rightly, not given any privilege for being doctors if they are found guilty in the court of law. However, as I mentioned, this process is not in the most refined form. Here it needs to be kept in mind that how to improve this process is beyond the scope of this discussion which in my opinion was started for illuminating the plight of doctors and steps necessary for its amelioration. Drawing ourselves back to this issue will cause neglect on the main discussion.
I absolutely do NOT believe that doctors don’t get heard because they, few of them to be exact, have made themselves dependent on Pharmaceuticals. I strongly disagree that spending own money has any business with getting your voice heard. It seems very romantic but it is far from the naked truth scattered around us. Do you think the most powerful and effectively vocal people around us are so because they spend their own money and don’t exploit the facilities given to them for their personal benefit? Infact it is exactly the opposite. Allegedly the most corrupt people are the ones who are the most powerful and ironically they have reached their place apparently through corrupting whatever they can corrupt. There is a lot more politics involved in the plight of doctors than their mere moral upheaval.
Then do you believe that the big guns among the doctors, who are in close “COLLABORATION” with pharmaceuticals are suffering anywhere near half of what their counterparts and the Young doctors are suffering? Again the paradox is apparent. Doctors who are morally frail according to these standards are NOT the ones who are being tested to the limits of their endurance.
Here I want to make it clear that I, by no means, intend to advocate these EVILS. I’m just trying to make the true picture visible.
The objection made against the Young doctors and the “Warriors of Change” is a little too harsh. In my humble opinion this forum is least likely to prove anything more than a mere outlet for people like us who talk their worries away. It is a way for people like us to make our humble contributions. It has to be kept in mind that this platform is NOT the only platform available to let our voices heard. There are other, tougher, platforms available that are being covered by other doctors who are not showing their presence here, or any other online forum for that matter. What platform we chose is our personal preference. Just because no one has chosen our preferred way does not mean that no one else is serious about it. May be they are thinking the same thing about us when we are busy talking our worries away.
Again I don’t intend to debase the significance of dialogue. But as I said there are options, ways, requirements and preferences according to the circumstances. I have tried to make a point in my previous post as to what way appears to be the way of choice at this stage and why.
Lastly, in support of “Warriors of change” I seek permission to state that “CHANGE” is the beauty of life. We owe our success in every aspect to this factor. If there were no change then we would still have been doing vivisections on the Living Humans like the kind hearted forefathers of medicine. AND Every time in history has had its own demands asking for certain actions. Some may appear inhuman in the beginning. But it is the wake of those actions that decides their true significance.
Regards
Muhammad Usman Cheema
Posted by: drmucheema Posts: 3 :: 21-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Re: Wake up Doctors!
Thank you very much Dr Usman for your input...
I have noticed that you are from Lahore and this makes your observations and comments very important for all of us
Regards
Posted by: drrathore Posts: 428 :: 21-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Re: Wake up Doctors!Dear Dr Usman, I completely agree with you except on one point. My whole discussion on this forum so far, has been revolving around highlighting the miseries of doctors primarily, though without disregarding the possibility of finding our own "problem boys" who definitely exist as much as they do in any other department. I had to address this latter issue since it too; in many ways have connections with the present attitude of doctors besides being an oft-raised point of contention between us and them. The fact, for example that we in form of society never tried to put up serious efforts in identifying and then weeding out the reasons for this alleged and actual corruption and that the most of us find themselves just unfit to get into any kind of malpractice in order to be enabled to cope with the demands of daily life, can go a long way in explaining this pent up steam. Back doors are always invented and used when "rights" are denied. But that said, I never tried to deflate the importance of strong internal checks with stronger but not "undue" external monitors. Such mechanisms exist everywhere and are always highly needed and much desired for. This very truth further endorses my basic philosophy that we are like all "others" and should be considered as much fallible as humans are generally regarded despite the heightened sense of responsibility which is made part of our conscience due to very refined training given to us over the years and is considered unique to us as well as to many of those related to more or less equally sensitive jobs. This is what we have always been and will be proud of. While this makes us "special" in many ways, still we are genetically designed as ordinary, a fact, not acknowledged by public at large and is historically corrupted by the concept of that godly grandeur rather inappropriately exacted on and expected from us. Such neglect becomes the root cause of our many said and unsaid sufferings and spreading corruption in our ranks with consequent compromises on “ethics” we so fondly boast of as hallmark of our profession. Resultant desperation may lead to aggression and violence directed at "self" or outwards but can hardly be declared unjustified or curbed in given situation. This is too basic a psychological reality to be ignored by those who can appreciate their own and their fellow’s limitations.
Posted by: drfarhan Posts: 93 :: 22-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Re: Re: Wake up Doctors!
If doctors are allowed to leave OPDs for hours and refuse to attend patients , and launch protests of their own likings in a bid to force the higher ups to listen to their demands, then what about this Protest by the Nurses of PIMS which has actually brought the functioning of PIMS to a grinding halt..
And for those who do not know PIMS: it is the biggest and busiest government hospital in Islamabad with a drainage area extending to Kashmir , Upper Punjab and more..
And what about the ED of the Hospital Dr Ghazala , who allegedly tried to run down two protesting nurses, is running a private clinic in a government issued house for the > 15 years ( i was residing in the same lane )
I wonder where will all this end..Every body is concerned about his/her own welfare and Rights...Nobody is much worried about performing duties honestly and making the patients center of our little universe and honoring the pledge/oath we made while we were so keen on becoming a doctor many years back
Any Comments??
Regards
[Edited by drrathore on 30-04-2010 at 04:01 AM GMT]
Posted by: drrathore Posts: 428 :: 29-04-2010 :: | Reply to this Message
Re: Re: Re: Re: Wake up Doctors!
Dear doctor sahib. You seem to be harping on same old strings!
All issues ranging from rampant corruption amongst us, to ways of launching protests including their psychological profiles, have already been debated rather tediously here. I will suggest you to kindly re-read all the previous posts. You’ll find plenty of stuff and a plethora of examples to satisfy your current and even emerging curiosities of like nature. To me, it must have already helped you a lot in knowing the “other” point of view comprehensively.
I neither represent nurses nor am one of them. So shouldn’t really comment on their behalf about what really prompt them to this end and extreme. Apparently they were not heard when they were speaking their heart out!
In general signs of rebellion (in this case, on part of nurses) appear when systems either don’t exist or crumble. Latter in particular happen only when priorities are eccentric, policies; lop sided, vision myopic, objectives blinkered and largely self centered. This feat is accomplished either by a select group of individuals or also sometimes by whole of society when they insist on keeping their eyes wide shut in view of gathering storms. These are incapable societies which elect ineligible rulers. Nations are punished for individual crimes as they always have had a role to play.
Besides examples are not comparable if we want to draw parallels between two movements that is, of doctors and that of nurses!
You deserve in proportion to what you invest. They can’t imagine the hardships a doctor endures during his formative years while nurturing great and elusive expectations of at least some reasonable reward for his seemingly unending toil. This was one of the reigning reasons for his striving, cut throat, to attain this status in first place. They proved themselves “best” not to be treated as worst at the end of the day. I have just tried to show you and rest, how intellect fails or can fail when juxtaposed against stark realities. We form intelligentsia but hunger delimits and later can cripple even genius. If relationship between body and soul starts snapping, the very feeling can rob you of even your faith let alone we talk of advice about being persistent in cherishing our largely self-assumed goals and roles in face of any conceivable personal or collective crisis. On the same note, the loftier objectives in terms of welfare of patients and improving your personal academics also become questionable if even your basic needs are being jeopardized.
Now few words about Dr Ghazala are in order. As regards nurses I would not dwell on the technical intricacies involved and especially since the whole incidence definitely does merit enquiry before passing any judgment whatsoever.
The other side of hers, if true to context, is symbolic of what is happening in your society at large. Keeping your skin and soul clean while living in “filth” defies logic and will be hard to abide by for a ‘massive’ majority. Still culprits any where, should be taken to task but then by only those who can boast an impeccable past or a selfless present, to say the very least. Before applying “hudd” it is imperative to deprive one of the ethical grounds he may refer to and take solace in for being “corrupt. This is not a proposal, it is a systematic approach towards eliminating crime and reasons for crime if it really is the aim………
In the end, please note, doctors are being forced into opting for such unpleasant choices as observing strikes and agitating on roads. I know it for sure that “they” were never fond of coming in open under scorching sun and entertaining the possibility of losing every, or the only means to their bread and butter. And it is some thing amusing to note and tell that they were never “allowed” such liberty. “They are dealt with ‘iron hands’ if possible.” They were allowed only desperation if ever, heard. So dialogues lost credibility. Again this all has already been discussed at length….
In preceding paragraphs, I, with you all, tried to examine the reasons for this gloom behind curtains which is permeating our ranks fast and thick. At the same time, I tried my best not to ignore the flip side of coin, howsoever ugly that may turn out to be. There is an intense need to understand our own “insecurities” and to know how far justified, these can be! This is not a matter of just temporary snubbing of some fundamental rights, it may be way beyond it…………
Posted by: drfarhan Posts: 93 :: 04-05-2010 :: | Reply to this Message